Obinwanne Okeke, the Nigerian entrepreneur widely known as Invictus Obi, who was sentenced to 10 years in a United States federal prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme, has been released from custody, according to records from the US Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Checks on the BOP inmate locator indicate that Okeke was no longer in federal custody as of Wednesday, December 23, 2025. The record states that he was “Not in BOP Custody as of: 12/23/2025,” suggesting that the former technology entrepreneur has completed his prison term or been granted an early release under conditions that remain unclear.

Okeke was sentenced in February 2021 after pleading guilty to charges connected to an elaborate business email compromise scheme that defrauded companies of more than $11 million. Based on the original sentencing, he was expected to remain in federal prison until September 3, 2028, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding his early release.

While the development has sparked public interest, details of Okeke’s release remain unverified. It is unclear whether the court amended his sentence, credited him with time served, or granted him a form of early release such as supervised release or compassionate relief. TheCable reported that it could not independently confirm the full terms of Okeke’s sentencing outcome. Legal experts note that a transfer to a state prison would be unlikely, as Okeke was convicted of federal crimes.

Okeke was arrested in August 2019 by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at Dulles International Airport in Virginia while attempting to leave the United States. His arrest followed an extensive investigation into a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted Unatrac Holding Limited, the export sales office for Caterpillar Inc., a US-based manufacturer of heavy industrial and agricultural equipment.

According to court documents, Okeke and his co-conspirators carried out an email compromise scheme that involved phishing attacks and falsified wire transfer requests. In April 2018, a Unatrac executive unknowingly fell victim to a phishing email that enabled the conspirators to gain access to sensitive login credentials. Using the compromised account, the group sent fraudulent wire transfer instructions accompanied by fake invoices, diverting millions of dollars into accounts controlled by the syndicate.

At the height of his rise, Okeke was regarded as one of Nigeria’s most promising young entrepreneurs. He founded Invictus Group, a technology-driven conglomerate with interests spanning oil trading, agriculture, and real estate. His meteoric success earned him widespread acclaim, including a spot on Forbes’ list of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans.

However, his conviction marked a dramatic fall from grace and reignited conversations in Nigeria about cybercrime, wealth, and the pressures of success among young entrepreneurs. With his reported release from prison, attention is likely to shift to his next steps, including whether he will return to Nigeria or remain under US supervision, and what restrictions, if any, apply to his post-prison life.

Until official court records or statements from US authorities emerge, the full circumstances of Okeke’s release remain subject to speculation. (BusinessDay)

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